Surprising impact of recession: Increased worker loyalty

The recession could be a great opportunity for employers to cement their workers’ loyalty.

More than a quarter of workers who were part of a worldwide survey say the global recession has made them more loyal to their employer, according to recent research from Kelly Services a national temp agency.

Kelly asked 134,000 people to describe how their level of loyalty to their employers changed as a result of the recent recession.

The response?

• 27% said their loyalty to their employers had gone up because of the way they have been treated lately. Their reasoning? It wasn’t due to increases in pay — but rather “positive management” and “active communication.”
• 10% said employers’ treatment of workers during the recession had lessened their loyalty to their companies — generally due to “poor management” and a “decrease in compensation.”
• 63% said they loyalty levels stayed the same.
• 43% of employees say they now feel “totally committed” and 26% “somewhat committed” to their current employer.

Money isn’t everything

What did workers rate as the No. 1 change their employers could make to improve job satisfaction today?

Surprisingly, providing “higher salary/benefits” was edged out by giving workers “more interesting/challenging work.”

Info: For a breakdown by country, check the full results of the study here.